Any good beach diving in Florida??

[MikeSSS]

I have gone to Key Largo a few times and Vortex once.

Now I have retired and the drive from San Antonio to KL costs more than going to Destin or Panama City or even Ft. Lauderdale or W Palm Beach.

I'm interested in scuba and snorkeling with my wife if she goes. Also interested in a nice beach to kick back on and have a sip and watch the world go by.

Otherwise it's rig trips and fish shooting in the Gulf of Texas.

Any and all advice and info is greatly appreciated.

PS, we did go to the beach at Pensicola and snorkel a bit but the vis was non existant. Also went to Clearwater and boy did it have clear water, nothing but sand under it though. Bummer.

 

[rebelmandziukan]

try venice beach shark tooth diving but if you have never done it go with someone who has. that way you can find the teeth.

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea... it's a quaint little beach town with decent shore diving. Enjoy!

 

[divad]

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea... it's a quaint little beach town with decent shore diving. Enjoy!

Yeah. I know a super-clean place to stay for $800.00 a month or $450.00 a week.

 

[HowardE]

MikeSSS -

Lauderdale-by-the-sea is called the "shore diving capital of Florida"

Not only is it pretty great for just walking in and swimming out only about 200 yards, but it's only 15' deep, and we've had snorkelers hang on the surface by our dive flag, and they could see everything the whole time. It's great for divers and/or snorkelers.

This time of year, there's plenty of available hotels.

 

[DiveBandit]

What is there to see at Lauderdale-by-the-sea? I'm looking to expand my diving horizons and was thinking the south florida area.

 

[HowardE]

What is there to see at Lauderdale-by-the-sea? I'm looking to expand my diving horizons and was thinking the south florida area.

Lots of Fish, Coral, Sponges (usual SE FL stuff)... 20-40' average viz.

 

[BusterDive]

I'm going to Lauderdale-by-the-sea Sunday, I'm glad to hear it's worth the trip. Heading straight to Freeport Bahamas from there for a week of fishing and diving YEEHAW!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Destin and Panama City Beach both have jettie dives and gorgeous white sand beaches. Navarre is the same way, but with a pier to dive. Pensacola is also the same, it has pier rubble to dive and some jetties at Fort Pickens that may be accessible in the near future(plus a cool fort to explore for the family).

 

[scuba kitten]

Can you recommend a dive shop in Panama City? I'm vacationing there later this summer and would like to go diving. Thanks.